These phrases above have become the new buzz words of the day - labels that divide us ... again ... this time by class.

Initially (in my humble opinion), the Occupy movement had expressed some legitimate concerns: the rich and powerful - "the One Percent" - rigging the game to enrich and advance themselves at the expense of "the 99 Percent." Much of human history can testify to this!

But over the following months, the movement had seemed to have been hijacked. Some news have reinforced that conclusion showing images of angry mobs inflicting destruction and chaos instead of offering sensible solutions to right the wrongs the movement was initially protesting. An example of such can be seen in this video clip: Seattle May Day Mayhem!

Throughout history, many revolutions came from "the 99 Percent" rising up against "the One Percent." Some did overthrow their "One Percent" oppressors; some did not, usually with terrible consequences for "the 99 Percent." And those revolutions that had succeeded - at least initially - precipitated unintended consequences whereas the new regime often turned out to be more oppressive than the old regime it had replaced.

Consider the 18th century. That era had its share revolutions. And two revolutions, in particular, were very similar, on the heels of each other, yet contrasted each other in their origin and in their ultimate outcome. Let's look at ...

Before the revolution, the French working class had legitimate and serious grievances against their nobility and religious leaders, which are explained in this article: Causes of the French Revolution. The grievances could - simplistically - be summed up as "the One Percent" oppressing "the 99 Percent."

And this famous quote of Marie Antoinette's alleged response of the shortage of bread to feed the peasants -

"let them eat cake"

- epitomized that the French elite "One Percent" were so out of touch with the sufferings of "the 99 Percent."

(In all fairness, much evidence indicates Marie Antoinette never actual said those words, and the phrase has a different meaning than we think - reference: Who said, "Let them eat cake"? But what the heck ... This seemingly callous quote so handily fit the narrative of the revolution ... and everybody lies ...)

The French Revolution was instigated by "the 99 Percent" - those who had nothing to lose. Their target was "the One Percent" with which the working class had many serious, legitimate grievances to redress. Their noble rallying cry ...

In the end, "the 99 Percent" had toppled the regime of "the One Percent." And by 1793, the revolution had devolved to the Reign of Terror. The new regime lopped off many heads of the old regime (at least those they could get their hands on). The revolutionaries treated the nobility often quiet cruelly, proving they were no better - maybe worse? - than their former oppressors.

A Tale of Two Citiestells of this fate of some of these hated "One Percent," or those that were perceived as enemies of the new regime. In the closing scene of the 1935 movieversion (below), Sydney Carton swaps identities with Charles Darnay - who came from a family of French aristocrats, a target of "the 99 Percent."

Sydney Carton gives up his life in place of his friend, who has been sentenced to the guillotine, as these are his last thoughts:

The French Revolution had deposed their absolute monarch,King Louis XVI, and later beheaded him, believing that a better era had begun with Liberty, Equality, Faternity. After a little more than a decade, France found they now had another dictator.

Simply put:

* Before the revolution - King Louis XVI of France
* After the revolution - Napoleon I, Emperor of France

Different titles, different people, both dictators.

As with so many revolutions, the French Revolution only put into power a different "One Percent" - just as bad or even worse as the one it had replaced. Eventually, Napoleon met his Waterloo - literally - in 1815. The British eventually imprisoned him on the island of St. Helena, where he finished his days out of the world's spot light.

But this ill fated French Revolution had been inspired by a recent revolution across an ocean, which had preceded it. And that was ...

* The American Revolution

But this revolution had its genesis in a difference source, and after it was over had far different consequences. It could be said that the American colonists were oppressed by "the One Percent" - King George III of Great Britain and company.

The colonists had enough and reached a tipping point as written down in The Declaration of Independence, which listed these grievances against King George III of Great Britain.

Here is an excerpt of the specific reasons:

"The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. ..."

At least 27 specific grievances are given against the King. And the colonist reiterated their repeated attempts to redress these grievances - not with protests in the streets ... or riots ... or out of control mobs destroying property ... or inflicting chaos ... but with humility and civility. And they got the following response from the ruling regime:

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. ..."

The Declaration ended with this oath of the signers:

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

But the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the leaders of the American Revolution would not be considered "the 99 Percent" of American colonists, but the prosperous "One Percent." And Paul Harvey in this broadcast (below) on the Eve of on Fourth of July, eloquently tells of the sacrifice of these "One Percenters":

And these signers had * everything * to lose.

What was so valuable that these One Percenters would give up everything ... their lives, their fortunes, their sacred honor? It was valuable gift, a pact made with the living and the dead and the unborn ...

* Liberty *

The next few years after defeating Great Britain, the United States struggled to find her way in governing the new republic. The first constitution, the Articles of Confederation (1777), had its flaws. But this was replaced a decade later by our present Constitution (1787).

And unlike France, whose struggling republic of "the 99 Percent" fell into the hands a dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte, the American Revolution came from "the One Percent" and had a different outcome as our first president under the Constitution (1789 - 1797) was ...

George Washington - the One Percenter

George Washington

This consummate "One Percenter,"George Washington was one of the wealthiest presidents the United States has ever had.

But unlike other conquering military leaders - Napoleon, for example, who made himself emperor of France - this victorious general of the American Revolution did not declare himself king, but instead went back to Mt. Vernon to continue farming

Hearing, quite incredulously, about George Washington's plans after the revolution, King George III commented about his adversary -

But George Washington eventually went back to public service and was elected president of the United States under the Constitution by the electoral college. After two terms - refusing the entreaties for a third term, Washington retired from office, setting a precedent to be followed from then on. This was only broken a 150 years later by FDR. Later in 1951 the 22nd amendment to the Constitution was passed to limit the office of the president to two terms, so he/she wouldn't be a dictator ... like Napoleon?

Simply put:

Before the revolution - King George III of Great Britain
After the revolution - President George Washington of the United States of America

Different titles, different people, but one a monarch, the other a chief executor elected (though indirectly via the electoral college) by the people

Unlike France, our republic, which was born from our revolution, did not last a mere decade, but well over two hundred years and counting. Our republic was a product of the much maligned "One Percent" - but this "One Percent" was of those not only in wealth, but in character - by those who had everything to lose as they put everything on the line ....

* their lives* their fortunes* their sacred honor

And these "One Percenters" - the signers of the Declaration of Independence - are part of America's Storywhich is to be continued ....

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“It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.” (The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien)
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Psalm 8 (King James Version)

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.